


Destcember 2018 - Vax

by SanneARBY



Series: Destcember [1]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Awoken Guardian (Destiny) - Freeform, Background Relationships, Character Death, Destcember (Destiny), Destcember 2018 (Destiny), Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Marriage Proposal, Multi, NSFW, Not Really Character Death, One Shot Collection, Post-Red War (Destiny), Psychological Trauma, Relationship(s), Semi-Public Sex, Soulmates, Trauma, True Love, Warlock Guardian (Destiny)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:01:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 11,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28000554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SanneARBY/pseuds/SanneARBY
Summary: My Destcember 2018 stories featuring Vax. The chapter title is the prompt of the chapter. Any chapter with explicit content will have "NSFW" added to it.
Relationships: Vax / Eris, Vax / Levi, Vax / Saladin
Series: Destcember [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2050818
Kudos: 3
Collections: All Vax stories





	1. Guardian & Ghost

“Hey.”  
  


Her slender hands reach up to her flaming hair and pulls it back, ties it into a ponytail with deft and swift motions before it once again falls back over her shoulders and sways in the wind. Her helmet lies forgotten at her feet, the Cosmodrome splayed out in front of her, cold air burning her face. She looks at her floating companion, glowing blue eyes questioning.   
  


“It’s been a while.”  
  


A smile makes its way to her face, a warm glow seeming to emanate from it as she reaches up and gathers Ghost in her hands, cradling it close to her as she reaches into its Light. “It has,” her voice is quiet, soft spoken words that seem to flow over her lips, like a gentle breeze. “It all seems like a haze now, looking back at it.” her hair tickles her cheeks, and she feels the sting on her left cheek, the scar seeming an ugly reminder of darker times.   
  


Darkness settles on her once more, shoulders tensing under the stress as she lowers Ghost ever so slightly, eyes shut. “I’ve been around Darkness for so long I fear I do not know Light anymore.” her voice wavers, a glimpse of worry quickly hidden once more after the words escaped her lips.   
  


Ghost looks up to its Guardian, silence stretching out over the windy plains of the Cosmodrome. Just them.  
  


“I think you know it just fine.” it then says, its voice determinant as always, the Light in the Darkness. It flies up in front of her, makes sure it has her attention before it speaks once more. “You have never once wavered between Light and Dark, you have always stuck with the Light and trusting in it to rescue you when you needed it. Even when anger fuelled you, you never swayed to Darkness for assistance. It has always been Light and love you have been fighting for.”   
  


She can’t find the words for a few moments, looking at her defensive Ghost with a certain admiration and adoration glisting in her eyes. She sniffles, wiping at her eyes as she breaks the eye contact and looks down, her hair blowing around her as the wind picks up around them. “You’re too good to me.”  
  


“We’re good for each other. Ghosts always know how to find their Guardian, no matter how long it takes.”   
  


Silence stretches out over them as Vax composes herself, comforted by her companion’s presence. Her hair tickles her face again, and she sighs, tucking some loose strands behind her ear. “I need a haircut.”

* * *

_Another idea, non canon_

She wished she had never opened her eyes, had never seen the destruction and slaughter caused by the Cabal.   
  


The Last City had fallen.   
  


Ghost worriedly hovered over to her, its feeble frame looking like it could break apart at any given moment. “Guardian?” it tried, hovering closer to her face. “Vax?” its voice was quiet, perhaps closest to  _ scared _ , scared its Guardian was dead.   
  


But she wasn’t.   
  


She grumbled as she shakily got herself to her knees, breath coming out in short puffs as she breathed in the dirty air. “G-Ghost…” her voice was quiet as ever, but something else touched it ever so slightly,  _ burned _ it. Her gloved fists crunched into the dirt beneath her, silent tears starting to stream down her cheeks as a patrol of Cabal stomped over the overhead bridge.   
  


Ghost noted it, hovering closer to its Guardian instinctively before looking back at her. “There is nothing we can do.” it tried to rationalise with her, all it ever could try with her.   
  


The Warlock wiped at her cheeks, biting her lips.”I- I couldn’t find Eris. I couldn’t stop Ghaul, and now- look at it, look at the City,” she looked out to the burning City, ashes drizzling down around them. “It’s gone. We lost the war with the Darkness.” she hung her head in defeat, shoulders slacking.   
  


It was silent for a moment before Ghost made a tutting noise, its voice distorted and warbled. “That is not the Vax I know,” it said simply, its shell forming a frown around its optic. “The Vax I know keeps fighting no matter what.”  
  


“What’s the point, Ghost? I don’t fear death, I’ve stared it down time and time again. I’m old, Ghost. I can’t fight another war.” her voice was almost inaudible, her lips barely moving as she spoke the words. “I’m not strong enough.”  
  


“Then by the Traveler I will get you up and fighting if I must!” Ghost sounded frustrated, hovering around its Guardians. “Life signs optimal for a Guardian, all we are missing is the Light, but you excel in both firefight and fistfight. We can escape this easily and come back for our revenge.”  
  


Vax groaned, running a hand through her tousled hair. “Ghost, you- I can’t, I’m tired. I just want to- want to sleep.”  
  


Ghost stared at its Guardian, silent for a while to the point that Vax got worried it had simply shut itself off, but then it spoke again. “Fuck that. You can’t just leave Eris like that, what if she needs you? What if the Vanguard need you? What if  _ I _ need you…?”  
  


Her glowing blue eyes seemed dim as she looked at the ground, her bottom lip trembling ever the slightest before she bit down on it and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. “I’m sorry. You’re right. Gods, I- I’m sorry. I would never leave you, I’m a fool if I ever do.” she scrambled up slowly, patting off her rough robes and picking up her war-torn Fatebringer. “Once we’re all safe… I’ll have to repair this. Hope it won’t break on me. I’d hate to lose an old friend.” her hands softly glide over its rough surface, a long forgotten memory she carried throughout her adventures. A glance into the past once so easy.    
  


She sighed, shaking hands easily steadying in the comforting grip of a weapon. “Right then. Let’s get out of here and live to fight another day.”


	2. Last City

One thing that happened after the Red War was that she could appreciate the people more, the chatter, the animosity. Yes, people knew she was a Guardian, but that’s all they knew. They had no idea what roles she’s played in any wars or battles; perhaps all they could see were her old eyes and tired smile, but she didn’t think many people really noticed those anymore. Too many civilians wore the same eyes, the same tension in their shoulders she tended to walk with. 

They, too, had seen the war. The survivors of the Red War, the invasion of the Last City on Earth. And she had been powerless to stop it. She had been close, so close, but then Ghaul surprised everyone and  _ caged _ the Traveler, cornered every Guardian in the Galaxy in a room without Light, just Darkness surrounding them. Many lost their lives that day, Guardians and civilians alike, families broken and bonds torn apart. 

Now it was laughter filling up the space of this marketplace, laughter of people alive and well, living their lives and rebuilding the broken City, mending to the broken pieces scattered about. Bodies had long been counted and buried, one of the first things the humans had done; a special graveyard right beneath the Traveler, remembering fallen heroes and victims. 

It all seemed so long ago, the sky above them now a vibrant blue with a sun casting long shadows, fires once burning now exhausted. The screaming replaced with the laughter, the chattering.

A hand slipped into hers, and Vax awoke from her thoughts as she looked at her side, into the face of a weathered Guardian, one she had grown to think fondly of. A smile made its way to her face, and she gripped Saladin’s hand tightly into hers, perhaps as a reminder that she, too, was alive.

“Shall we?”


	3. Living Without the Light

Everything was so  _ slow _ .

It felt like she was dragging triple her weight to walk, let alone run, running  _ hurt _ . She gripped at her ribs. Despite Ghost having healed her, somehow it still managed to hurt no matter what she did, as if it was a scar that never quite healed. Her hands were shaking, something they’d never done before, an unfamiliar sensation yet somehow, familiar.

Vax balled her hands into fists, grimacing. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing,” she grumbled, a frown worrying her face. “The Traveler called to us through our vision. It sounds absolutely bonkers, but-”

“I believe you, Vax, but-” Ghost’s voice was different. Without Light it seemed to have trouble formulating the words properly, most of the time it sounded distorted and warbled. And it worried Vax to no end. How can a machine created by the Light itself function without access to it? Would it die without the Light back soon? There was no way to know.

“- Vax, are you listening?” its distorted voice rang through her thoughts, and the Awoken looked up at her companion. 

“Sorry, I-”

“Got distracted. You’ve been doing that a lot lately.” Ghost sounded worried, despite its wonky voice modulator, it wasn’t hard to tell. It hovered around its Guardian, trying to see if there were any physical problems, but as expected, she was fine. 

Vax sighed, running a hand through her dirty hair. She’d barely had the time to clean herself yet, her face and tattered robes covered in debris and blood not hers. All she could think about were the friends she’d lost. Ariya, Louis. She clenched her jaw tightly, eyes pressed close. “They’re gone, Ghost. Gone and they can’t come back. I should’ve stayed behind, I could’ve at least brought them with me-”

“We were going to Ghaul’s ship, we decided that even before we encountered them in the City. There is no way we could’ve brought their bodies-”

Vax made a noise that promptly shut her companion up, the Warlock leaning forwards as she took in heavy breaths. 

“Vax…?”

“I’m - fine,” her voice was shaky, hands once again trembling on her knees. “I need to- I need to be there for Connor. He lost his fireteam, I- I can get through this.” she swallowed thickly, sitting back up carefully and eyeing the Warlock in the distance, setting up his tent. “He’s not spoken to me yet, knowing him he won’t anytime soon, either. I have to be there for him.”

Ghost made a noise, one Vax couldn’t quite place, and it seemed to shake its shell. “And who will be there for you? You aren’t strong enough to care for everybody, Vax, that’s just a hard realisation. You have to think of your own wellbeing, too.”

A small smile made its way to the Awoken’s face, and her glowing blue eyes landed on her machine, her hand carefully reaching up and cradling her companion. “You are there for me, no? You have been since the beginning. With you by my side everything is always easier, I can find the strength to keep on going.” she whispered on a murmur, closing her eyes and nodding a bit, as if reaffirming this to herself as well. 

“... Speak with Connor.” Ghost then spoke up, a certain tone of voice Vax hadn’t heard many times before. “You’re right, I am there for you, no matter what. Speak with Connor and make it known that he isn’t alone. I think he could really use that right now.”

Vax nodded, lowering her hand with a slight wince and then getting up from her seated position, clearing her throat. “He may very well kill me if I don’t say the right thing, he’s so goddamn stubborn.” 

Ghost let out a distorted laugh. “Takes one to know one.”

The Warlock eyed at her machine, a rare chuckle escaping her as she shook her head, setting her first step towards healing.


	4. Little Joys

Days passed by slowly. Whenever Vax didn’t go on missions it was all she could do to not consistently jump off the Tower for anything interesting to happen. Days spent inside meant reading countless of reports, swiping through way too many datapads in an empty room and no sound other than the occasional nails tapping on the hard glass. 

Ghost finally materialised, hovering around its Guardian. “I’m bored.”

Vax made a small noise resembling a snort, swiping on a datapad before her eyes started scanning the document. “Truly a magnificent creation, you. A god-made machine that can get bored.” she teased lightly, distracted by whatever was in the report. She got to the end and signed it with her signature before writing some notes on it. 

Her machine companion sighed, looking out the window. “It’s almost evening, you know. Look, there is the sun going down, setting… slowly… like today.”

A chuckle came from Vax’ corner of the room, a datapad audibly put away before another one was grabbed and silence filled the living space once more. “You know I don’t like this work either, no point in complaining.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m doing it for the both of us,” Ghost grumbled, but a joking tone singed its words. “Ikora knows you don’t mind the reports too much, that’s why she’s giving them to you, isn’t it?”

Vax laughed then, lowering the datapad and turning her chair around to look at Ghost, legs swung over the other. “Ikora knows that I will do my job as needed. I’m practically her second in command. You know this,” she squinted her eyes, tilting her head. “... So why are you so antsy? Are you hiding something from me?” 

Ghost turned back to look at its Guardian, and if it could blush, it would. “No!”

“You’re a bad liar,” Vax grinned, turning back around on her chair as she grabbed another datapad. “Well if that’s the case, I can’t wait to see what you’re surprising me with today.”

“Say, when did you last see Saladin?” Ghost hummed then, inconspicuous as always. It hovered back to Vax, around her head a few times, distracting. 

Vax raised her hand and easily caught her companion, soft hands tugging at its shell as she brought it down in front of her, a questioning smirk on her face. “Does the surprise have to do with Saladin? What did you two plan, hm?”

Before Ghost could even say anything, the door to her apartment swung open, and a gruff voice called out, “Happy birthday!”

The Warlock snapped her head to the side, a big smile lighting up her face, and she grinned as she got up and let go of Ghost. “Saladin!”


	5. Black or White

“Black or white?” 

Levi looked up from his datapad, the blue glow illuminating his faceplates eerily as he eyed his lover. “Hmmm…. both look good.”

Vax turned around from the mirror with a chuckle, the two dresses in her hand swaying with the motion. “Are you saying that because you’re afraid there’s a wrong option?” 

The Exo grinned as he got up, datapad laid aside, and walked over to Vax, right in her personal space. “No, I’m saying that because I much prefer you without any dress,” he purred, wrapping his arms around her waist as he started nipping at her neck. “And because both  _ do _ look good on you.”

A hum escaped the Warlock, hands lowering a bit more as she tilted her head, allowing Levi more space. “Such a flatterer,” she whispered with a small smirk, licking her lips. “But we do still have this event. I know you’re trying to distract me,” she purred, voice as silky smooth as she could make it. “So get your hands off my breasts, love.” 

Levi pouted, idle hands that had found its way to her breasts moving away as the Exo took a step back. “You know I don’t do this kind of stuff.  _ You’re _ the Vanguard second in command, not me.” he murmured, sitting back on the bed with a sigh. “Besides, I don’t have a suit, so.”

There was some rustling in the closet before Vax pulled out a coathanger with plastic around it. “Tah-dah!” she exclaimed, smiling as she laid the coathanger on the bed. “I ordered a suit for you, exactly with your measurements. I had Ghost look up your Exo model and we found some old blueprints in the archives. I had it made in dark purple, just for you.” she smiled at her lover, a kind warmth in her cool blue eyes. 

“I know you don’t do this stuff, Levi,” she then continued, moving over to Levi and sitting next to him. “I would’ve taken Saladin if he had been here, you know that. But, he’s off doing Iron Lord duties, and you are here, and I love you,” she leaned close to him, a soft glance in her eyes. “So just this once, and then never again, come with me to this event. I’ll be forever grateful, and I promise that you can do whatever you want with me afterwards.”

A mischievous glister made its way into Levi’s optics, and he hummed. “Anything…?” his hands easily took hold of Vax’, and he pulled her on top of him as he laid back down, grinning at his lover. “How long do we have until the event?” he purred, lips barely touching Vax’.

The Warlock glanced up to the clock. “A few hours.” she slowly sat up on Levi, straddling his hips easily as she looked down at him with a small smile. “Why?” she tilted her head as she spoke, flaming red hair framing her face almost perfectly. 

His hands snuck up to her abdomen, slipped behind her back as the Exo sat up and pressed Vax against him, kissing her deeply. His deft hands slipped under her bra for a second, cold metal cooling the heated up skin of her back before they moved to unclasp her band. His breath was hot on her lips as he whispered, “Go with black, looks good on you.” 


	6. In the Vanguard

“You don’t have to go, you know. This is just another suicide mission.” his hand was tight on her wrist, but she knew it wasn’t because he wanted to hurt her, he was afraid to lose her, like he had lost his own before on a similar mission. 

An uneasy sigh escaped her, eyes cast downwards before she looked up to Levi. “It’s my duty to go. I have orders, I can’t decline those,” her voice lowered to barely a whisper. “You know this,” she gently gripped Levi’s hand with her free one and removed it from her wrist, taking hold of Levi’s hand tightly, soothingly. “I will come back to you, I always do.” 

Levi clenched his jaw, body seeming restless as he twitched his fingers. “Don’t go,” he merely repeated, hand pulling in Vax closer to him. “They can send out somebody else.”

Her cool blue eyes were unable to hide her troubled thoughts, and she winced as she looked away from him. “Levi - don’t make this harder than it has to be. I  _ will _ come back.”

“Remember when I said that when I left? Remember that you were in total darkness for a month,  _ waiting _ for a sign of me being alive?” Levi countered, voice seemingly singed with poison. Not to her, never to her, but the  _ Vanguard _ , the ones he so hated. “The Vanguard sent us out on a suicide mission just like this, and we lost Noct. Deia is - somewhere. I can’t lose you, too.”

She was silent for a moment, at a loss for words, before she looked up to Levi slowly, a frown worrying her face. “You hesitated.”

“What?” 

“You hesitated. You know where Deia is, don’t you?” she whispered, gently pulling her hand back from Levi, taking a step back as well. Physically moving away. “You’re hiding something from me.”

The Exo’s faceplates shifted into a frown, and he stepped back as well. “No, that - that’s not the point right now. They’re sending you out to get killed, Vax. I can’t let that happen. They want worthless information that’s hardly worth a life, let alone  _ your _ life.”

Her eyes didn’t meet his as she shook her head. “Levi, I know what I’m doing. I’d much rather they send me than you. You always find a solution that involves you getting hurt, to the point where you lose parts of your body or almost  _ die _ , I don’t want that to happen. I want everybody to come out unscathed.”

“I’m taking the risks to do the same. The Vanguard aren’t worth it, Vax. Don’t go, don’t let them kill you.” Levi’s voice became quieter, a plea. “I know your duties, I know your orders, but please.”

Vax fidgeted with her fingers for a moment, not meeting Levi’s eyes. “... I have to go. I can’t ignore an order. But, I promise, I  _ will _ come back to you, I have no intention of dying, love,” she said softly, finally looking up to meet his eyes, a hopeful glance in her eyes. “I’ll be back before you know it.” she stepped back into his space and cupped his cheeks, moving in to kiss him softly, lingering. 

His hands found their way to her waist, holding onto her. His eyes were closed as he stayed there with her for a moment, a pained frown on his face. “... Stay safe. Contact me when things go bad, please, just… come back.”

She opened her eyes, watched his handsome face. “You’re one to talk.” she teased lightly, lovingly, as she stepped back.

Their hands slipped apart slower than she’d wanted as she walked away. And if a sliver of doubt made its way into her heart, she buried it without any ease. 


	7. (NSFW) Say My Name

“Fuck-”

“Language.”

A grin on her warm face, a purple blush gracing her cheeks. “Shut up - ah,” she whimpered softly, hands gripping at the sheets beneath them, the fabric wrinkling together as she pulled it closer towards her, biting down on her lips. “Can’t believe you think of such a thing while - ah -”

“While what?” Levi’s voice purred out to her, the Exo bending over her easily as his hips slowly moved against hers again, agonizingly slow. His hands rested heavily in the mattress on either side of her, a smirk visible on his stupid face. 

Vax chuckled airily, legs wrapping around his hips as she buckled up against him. “While you’re inside me,” she breathed on a whisper, letting out a sharp moan when he once again bucked up inside her. “Just - fucking go at it already.” she then grumbled, purple blush darkening as she once again bit her lips and closed her eyes. Embarrassed.

Levi grinned, moving back up to a kneeling position as he watched his lover squirm beneath him. He couldn’t deny that he himself was also getting impatient about it, but something about watching Vax beg for it… “Say my name.”

She breathed out softly, opening her eyes and looking up to him questioningly, perhaps unsure if she had heard it correctly. “What?” a hand moved up to his thigh, thumb running over one of the many edges. 

“Say my name while you ask, Princess.” he inched back over her again, the Awoken letting out a small gasp as the angle changed ever so slightly. “I know you want it.” his hands found her breasts easily and he leaned down just that bit more to lap at one of her nipples. “Unless you don’t…” 

A whimper escaped her lips, and she made a noise as she covered her face. “Levi, I-”

“There you go, first step done,” Levi grinned, almost mischievously so, as he kissed up to her neck, nipping at her jawline as he went and forcing her hands away. “Just that bit more, Princess. So gorgeous...”

Vax stared up to the ceiling, the purple blush of embarrassment heating up her cheeks. “I - I can’t.” she then admitted, whimpering softly when Levi slowly moved his hips back and forth. 

Levi glanced up to his lover’s face, and he chuckled as he moved up to it, lips easily finding hers as he kissed her softly, gently. “This isn’t the first time we’re doing it, no? You’ve asked for it before.” he seemed a bit breathless as he recalled their first time that night, and the morning after. He grinned. “Remember that, Princess? How you practically begged me to-”

“Shut up!” Vax chuckled airily then, cupping Levi’s cheeks and kissing him, rougher this time, more teeth than tongue. “Levi,” she then whispered on his lips, eyes closed. “I want you to fuck me, like you’ve never fucked me before.” she opened her eyes to look into his, and a certain flame inside them seemed to awaken Levi.

“... Yes, ma’am.” 

With a swift motion she was on her knees and he was right behind her, hands wrapped around her as the cold metal of his skin got pushed against her heated up back. A hand moved to her neck, two fingers slipping inside her mouth as he inched closer to her ear. “Just like old time, isn’t it, Princess?”

She let out a moan as his hips finally slapped against hers.


	8. Say My Name (alternate)

“It’s not safe here.” his voice called out over the cold air, a distant noise that crackled alive over the comms. 

“I know.” she murmured, scoping down her sniper rifle. Her lips barely parted for the words, the Warlock seeming statue-like as she inspected the Scorn patrols from high, high above. Ever since the Guardians had abandoned Felwinter Peak Saladin had been on his own defending it with the occasional help from Shiro. Enemies had been multiplying trying to get the snowy mountain in their grip, surprise any Guardians during Crucible matches. 

“Vax.” 

His voice sounded closer this time, and she instinctively glanced behind her, only to see her Titan standing there. How he managed to come up here quiet as a Hunter, she had no clue. 

“They don’t know we’re here. All we’re doing right now is spectating them, making sure we know what we’ll be up against once they go for the Peak once again.” she zoomed in ever so slightly on her LDR 5001. Having found an old schematic of it in the rubbles of the old Tower she had requested Banshee to remake it for her, and he had done so splendidly. 

He moved, his robes rustling in the wind as he kneeled next to his lover, eyeing out over the snowy landscape. Vax could feel his eyes on him as he turned his head, and his voice lowered to a gentle whisper. “It’s still not safe here. We should move before they do spot us. This tower makes us sitting ducks.”

Vax lowered her scope, head turning as she opened her mouth.

But nothing came out as the silence in the air got broken by the sickening sound of a cracking helmet and the Iron Lord dropping to the ground, lifeless.

A shaky breath escaped her, eyes wide as she stared at her dead lover next to her, hands shaking. “N-no-” she breathed, scrambling up and reaching for the Ghost that appeared, only to have it explode right in front of her, its pulse wave throwing Vax back to the ground with a shout and knocking the air out of her lungs. The shots rang out through the air like a faint echo, delayed.

She was wheezing as she crawled up, tears forming in her eyes and blurring her vision as she hurried over to Saladin’s dead body and kneeled next to it. “Sal-Saladin, please- please-” she whimpered, trembling hands reaching for the helmet and unlocking it with a quiet hiss. A shaky whimper escaped her as she pulled it off, the two holes at the side staring at her, mocking her. She put the helmet down next to her, perhaps hoping the Iron Lord would get up 

Tears dripped down on her visor as she cupped his cheek, the warmth still giving off even through her gloves. “T-Talk to me, Saladin,  _ please _ ,” she let out a sob. “Say my name-  _ anything _ , please just-  _ don’t be dead _ -” she let out a pained wail, the sound echoing out over the empty air as she gripped at his collar, pressing her forehead against his chest, tears streaming down her face and dripping on her visor. “ _ I need you, I need you - please… I can’t lose you, I can’t-” _ her voice was rough, empty, as she cried out for her lover to get up, to come back with her to the Tower, even though she knew he would never get up again.

She awoke with tears dripping down her cheeks, staring up to her dark ceiling. 

It had all been a nightmare. 

She swallowed thickly as she raised her numb hands and wiped at her eyes.  _ It had all been a nightmare _ . 

A voice called out, and for a quick second she thought it was Saladin, Saladin next to her, asking her if she was okay, but, “You okay, Princess?”

She realised he was in fact at Felwinter Peak protecting it. There was no hesitation as she got out of bed and got dressed, Levi’s question unanswered.


	9. Legacy of the Golden Age

“Did you leave something behind?”

“What?”

The question was innocent enough, but a distracted mind had trouble focusing on it, Eris’ soft hand gently running over her bare back in the quiet of the night. 

Said Hunter chuckled lovingly, a comfortable sound in the darkness surrounding them. “Did you leave something behind? Your pre-Guardian life?” she repeated her question, a shiver running down Vax’ spine as her hand drew small circles on her back. 

She opened her eyes lazily, lying comfortably in Eris’ lap, arms wrapped around the Hunter’s waist. “Did you?” she countered instead, voice quiet. 

It was silent for a moment as Eris thought about it, hand absentmindedly running up and down Vax’ back before she finally spoke up. “It’s been a few decades since I last tried to find information about my past life. After Crota it wasn’t really my top priority anymore. But, from what I remember I left behind a son.”

The sheets rustled as Vax moved to sit up in front of her lover, blinking. “A son?” 

Eris nodded, gently reaching over and pulling Vax close to her, cuddling her. “I don’t know what happened to him, and at this point in life, I don’t care anymore. He’s probably dead, died centuries ago. I don’t think he’s ever become a Guardian, and I doubt that if he did, that I’d recognise him. Too much has happened, and I was never one of those Guardians that was very in tune with my life before.”

Vax nodded, nuzzling close into Eris’ neck. “I’m tired.”

“You didn’t answer my question, my light.” Eris teased softly, head leaning against Vax’. 

The Warlock sighed, shrugging. “I don’t know. I haven’t done any research and I refuse to have Ghost tell me things. All I know is that I woke up one day from a long sleep and proceeded to fight for people I didn’t know in a war I shouldn’t have taken part in.”

Eris hummed, nodding slowly, distracted. “Do you regret it?”

“Becoming a Guardian?” Vax murmured, eyeing up to her lover. “The choice wasn’t mine.”

“Some Guardians have killed themselves in the past, wanting no part in this war,” her voice was lower, barely a whisper. “The choice  _ could _ be yours.”

“If you’re telling me I can kill myself, no thank you,” Vax laughed softly, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I… don’t think that I would ever do that, at this point. In the beginning when you’re alone it’s hard, you don’t know anybody and you’re being told to fight for something you’re not even sure you stand for. But, I have found my family now. My friends. You.” 

Eris let out a gentle chuckle, closing her eyes for a second as she leaned back against the bed’s headboard. “I’m inclined to agree.”

The Awoken found Eris’ hand and entwined their fingers, giving it a light squeeze. “I bear the past no mind, Eris. All I care about is what is happening right now, and right now I just want to sleep with you wrapped around me.”

The Hunter hummed in agreement, leaning down to gently press her lips against Vax’.


	10. What is Worth Fighting For

Darkness was a virus, a deeprooted  _ curse _ that had enveloped her and nestled deep inside her heart before it spread through her veins and poisoned her words. 

This wasn’t her. 

She punched a tree with a sickening crackle of her knuckles, grunting and grabbing at her head, pulling at her fiery hair. “Get- out-!”

Some leaves dwindled down around the two. 

Ghost worriedly hovered around its Guardian. “Vax, you-“

“Shut up!” she snapped at the machine, glowing blue eyes seeming ablaze by the fire of Sol. “Shut up, you  _ stupid _ machine! I never wanted this life, you should have let me stay dead!” her words were a nasty poison, venom seeping through every inch of her being. Darkness deep inside her. 

Her companion hovered back, shell seeming to tremble. “You have to stay calm, you’re-“

“Who thought so highly of themselves they figured they could fucking resurrect dead people in a war not theirs- what  _ creature _ -“ flames licked at her feet, fists ablaze as she grimaced, an angry scowl quickly making way for a look of pain as she dropped to her knees and gripped at her head, whimpering. “Make it stop-“

Ghost carefully hovered closer, touching her heated cheeks with its cold casing. “Take deep breaths, please. I’m here for you, you’re not alone.”

Silent tears rolled down her cheeks, evaporating quickly from the heat she gave off as she hunched over and rested her forehead against the ground, grass scorching. “I hate- you-“ she breathed shakily, a sob leaving her throat. “I didn’t-“

“What’s going on?” Saladin transmatted in, not even fully there as he stepped towards Vax and crouched down instantly, a worried frown on his face as he beared the flames and heat no mind. 

“She got a flashback, a- a violent one. She must’ve -“ Ghost struggled to find the words, optic seeming to shake inside its casing. “I think she hallucinated Oryx or Crota around her, she- hasn’t had one of those in  _ months _ , it must’ve triggered-“

“The Darkness within me.” Vax whispered shakily, whimpering. She seemed exhausted as she just lay there, flames still licking at her feet but slowly dissipating. 

Saladin’s presence had returned the Light to her. 

The Iron Lord gently rested his hand on Vax’ back, leaning in close to her as he whispered soothing words, held the trembling frame lovingly. 

“I didn’t know what to do,” Ghost’s voice was small, tiny, as if it thought lowly of itself. It hovered close to the ground, far away from Vax. “The things she said-“

“Aren’t true,” Saladin interrupted, looking back at the machine. “Darkness does fickle things with a Guardian,” he looked back at his lover, gently tucked some hair behind her ears. “In her case it seems to out itself as hatred to the life she was given, but that doesn’t mean she truly believes those things. Perhaps she once thought them, but it doesn’t really sound like our Vax now, does it? Come here, she needs you as much as she needs me, if not more.” 

Ghost hesitated, but when it looked upon its Guardian’s weak and shaking body, it moved closer to her and gently touched at her burning temple, hoping to bury the Darkness with its Light. 

Saladin hummed softly in agreement, gently moving Vax to sit up a bit and then pulling her close against him, enveloping her within his arms and protecting her from the world. “I love you, Vax. Stay with us now, okay? We need you. Me and Ghost, we need you to stay with us.”

The Warlock whimpered softly, tears still rolling down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around her lover, nuzzling close into his chest. “I need you, too.”

Her voice was quiet, barely a whisper, but the venom had gone, nothing but Light bearing her words. 


	11. Knowledge is Power

“What is this?”

Vax looked up from her books, the light of the library weakly shining down upon her and Ghost. “That scroll?” she hummed, reaching her hand out. Ghost moved the scroll over to her. She gently took off the seal and then unrolled it, reading it over quickly. “Seems like old poems.”

“Why would we keep poems here? They have no tactical information.” it muttered, looking around the old and tattered books in the library.

The Warlock smiled gently as she shook her head, rolling the scroll up again. “On the contrary, Ghost. Poems can give us valuable insight into the mentality of the enemy and possibly help us understand them and come up with a counteracting strategy. Many poets take inspiration from past wars to create their works, and then people in the future, like us, can examine them to see what was going on.” she put the scroll aside, looking back at the book in front of her. “Light, please.”

Her companion hovered back over to her, activating its light so she could read the texts. “So, we’re reading these books, because…?”

Once again Vax looked back up to her machine, humming gently as she leaned her head on her hands. “Because, I want to know what the enemy was like before the Collapse. I want to know if we knew of their existence before we had to fight them. That’s all.”

“And you think they have that stuff here?”

“If they have poems, they have this kind of information. We just have to find it.” she skimmed over a few pages, easily turning the paper. 

It was silent for a while, only Vax’ breathing and the paper being turned audible. 

Ghost broke the silence, then. “You know there is a digital archive, right?” 

“Yes, I am aware,” the Awoken closed the book and put it aside, grabbing another heavy book and opening that. “But nothing is more rewarding than the smell of old books and a day of nothing planned.”


	12. Let it Snow

The snow reminded her of that nightmare.

That damned nightmare that had woken her up in a complete state of panic and caused her to get dressed in an instant to go to Saladin, make sure he was alive and wasn’t fighting off hordes of enemies. The Rifleman.

So here Vax was, clutching her Waking Vigil closely in her hand as she stomped through the thick layer of snow beneath her feet. The wind bit at her ears and nose, a purple rush of blood trying to heat up the skin but to no avail. The wind was mercilessly cutting against her, heavy gusts throwing her off guard a few times.

“Vax, it was just a nightmare,” Ghost crackled alive over the comms, sounding unsure. “You’ll freeze to death.”

The Warlock shook her head, clenching her jaw as she pressed her robes’ collar close against her throat. “It felt goddamn real, Ghost. I woke up  _ crying _ . I’ve not done that in months,” she murmured, lips barely parting against the cold in the air. Tears sprung up in her eyes, and she sniffled. “I know, I could have called him, I  _ know _ . But I have to see him, I have to.”

It was silent for a bit, nothing but the wind blowing around her.

And then a wolf howled.

Vax perked up, breath still for a moment. “... Is that at the peak?” 

“It could just be-”

“ _ Is that at the peak? _ ”

“Yes.”

Vax grunted as she picked up her pace, a frown creasing her forehead as she trudged through the layers of snow until she finally had her sight upon Felwinter Peak.

And it was normal as ever, wolves laying around carefree, Shiro at his post doing whatever he does, and -

“Saladin. Where the fuck-” she breathed, stopping herself when she heard footsteps behind her. 

In an instant she turned right where she stood, Waking Vigil raised in just a snap, aimed right between the eyes of nobody else but the Iron Lord himself.

“Quite the welcome, don’t you think?” his gruff voice rang out, his eyes gentle and a warm smile on his weathered face. “My Ghost pinged me that you had arrived closeby, so I went to see what was wrong.”

Vax lowered her gun weakly, sighing deeply as her shoulders slacked, a heavy weight lifting off her shoulders when she saw her lover was all right. “I- had a nightmare.” she mumbled, adrenaline at once leaving her body and leaving her shivering on the mountain top. 

Saladin easily unclasped his cloak and gently wrapped it around Vax’ shoulders, rubbing her upper arms with his gloved hands. “There we go, you didn’t have to come so bareboned. You should’ve dressed warmer,” he lovingly pecked at her temple, pulling her in an embrace and holding her close, shielding her from the icy night. “Nights here are cold.”

“I dreamt you - we were -”

“It doesn’t matter, darling. I’m here now, and I won’t ever, ever go away.” he pulled her that bit closer to him, nuzzling her flaming red hair as the snowstorm dissipated to a light drizzle of snowflakes.


	13. Chosen Undead

A sucked in breath and then a cough.

It’s the first thing she does, newly created body shivering in her thin bodysuit as she wraps her arms around herself and curls up. She does not speak.

“Eyes up, Guardian,” her machine speaks, its voice calm and stoic, a blue light scanning over her body as it was quiet for a moment. “Bodily functions are functioning, motor functions working,” it mumbled, the light turning off as it seemed to nod its shell. “I’m Ghost.”

The Guardian looked up to the machine, red hair blowing softly in the wind, eyes questioning.

“... No voice,” it murmured, checking the Guardian again. It stayed silent for a while. “... Vocal chords are there, why do you not-”

It got interrupted by the clanging of metal in the distance, glancing over there for a second before it hovered closer to the Guardian, looking at her. “Doesn’t matter. Listen, you’re a Guardian, I’m a Ghost. A giant orb in the sky called the Traveler created us to resurrect people into Guardians, do you got that?” 

She seemed bewildered as she nodded, an instinctive motion that she couldn’t recall learning. She got up on shaky legs, swallowing thickly. She looked back at her machine, nodding once again, more firm this time. 

“Great. Let’s find you a weapon.” 


	14. Dancing is What We Do

“Remember?”

She looked up to him, his purple optics seeming to shimmer with excitement as her hands squeezed his slightly. “Barely.” she then smiled. The frustration over forgetting how to dance easily overshadowed by the Exo’s excitement. 

Levi gently pulled Vax closer, nuzzling close to her as he whispered, “Just follow my lead, yeah? Just like our first date.” 

He then started moving, swaying around the room as he pulled his lover with him, feet doing  _ something _ she couldn’t quite copy. 

“Stop- stop,” she laughed softly, stumbling after her gleeful lover until he stopped moving and she bumped against him. There was no movement for a second before he wrapped his arms around her, holding her lovingly against his sturdy body. 

Her hands splayed on his chest, she hummed, leaning her forehead against his. “I love you, Levi.” she whispered, the words flowing over her lips as she moved her hands up to his neck, wrapped her arms around him. 

The Exo immediately took the chance, starting to sway with her once again as he smiled, faceplates shifting into the familiar motion. “I love you, too, Princess. Forever and always.”

A satisfied hum escaped the Awoken Warlock, moving to lean her head on her lover’s shoulder, eyes closed. “Teach me to dance properly, one day. I have no idea what I’m doing right now.” 

“Just follow my lead.”


	15. Worthy Weapon

Glowing blue eyes landed coolly on the shimmering weapon underneath the Templar’s exploded frame. It seemed to have come straight from the machine’s core, yet it had remained intact in its explosion. 

The Awoken crouched down and grabbed the hand cannon, wiped some dust off of it before inspecting the design in the half-darkness of the Vault. A surprisingly light frame, larger magazine size than expected. Easy to hold.

She extended it in front of her, aimed down the sights. 

She liked it. 

Her hand raised before she even realised it, summoning Ghost to inspect the weapon and give her the information she was interested in. 

_ Fatebringer.  _

Its shots rang out in the echoing chambers of the past and future, the Oracles succumbing to the bullets strengthened by the Vault and easily disposing of the Vex inside it. Atheon was a simple target afterwards, the shots reverberating through the Warlock’s body every time she pulled the trigger until the machine fell down to its demise. 

She took it with her afterwards, the light weapon a quick and familiar friend of her quick hands, easy to be found on her hip or back while she ran her errands. Easy to be found in said hands whenever a shot rang out over the empty plains of the Cosmodrome. 

Ghost favoured it, for once. One of the few weapons it happily obliged to spawn in and repair where quickly needed when the Warlock couldn’t offer the cleanup it truly deserved.

One specific day the bullet exiting the barrel and destroying Crota’s Soul weighed her down. The weapon never felt quite the same after that.

Its Darkness extended onwards when she faced His God-king father, master of the Taken. This deity who challenged the weapon’s wielder to a fight and who lost, falling victim to His fate and fading away in His eternal space like a cruel and dark joke. 

Its Darkness subsided, nothing but a vague echo of what it had once been filled with leaking onto its wielder’s fingertips. Yet her mind remained free of its echoes, the Light inside her stronger than its whispers and cleansing it once again as a wielder of Light.

Years pass before Lord Saladin called in for the protection of the Iron Temple, SIVA overtaking the Cosmodrome and changing the Fallen residing there. Fatebringer brings about their deaths, destroys the plague and obliterates Aksis.

Two more years of war and harsh battles for days, weeks,  _ months _ on end until her age-old weapon finally started showing cracks, needing more maintenance than before,

With a dangerous mission on the horizon the Awoken had decided to leave her treasured friend in the vaults for once, a rare occasion but a necessary one to ensure its survival with its impending weakness.

And it hadn’t. 

The Cabal laid siege to the Tower, with it, the vaults, and when she returned, she had no time to look through the rubble and find her loved weapon, all time needed to get the civilians to safety. 

To destroy Ghaul.

Falling to the ground her hands were empty, nothing but a mere ghost shadowing her right hand as it instinctively moved to clutch something,  _ anything _ , before a sickening crack darkened her vision.

Hands were searching for something, itching to get a hold of her favoured weapon. But it was nowhere to be found, the Tower rubble and captured, all she could do was search through the available weapons the escapees had managed to bring with them. In the racks they had set up, no hand cannon lay. No hand cannon that fit the palm of her hand as perfectly as her lost friend.

So she settled with the second best. 

The Nameless Midnight, a scout rifle she easily adapted into her battles. The next best thing.

No hum followed the weapon, no Light or Darkness attached, only a neutral silence following its usage, a blank slate the Warlock so desperately wished for after she lost her home.

She and it wrote the story together, every adventure a new screw loosened, every shot less accurate than before. Small and incremental changes to the gun with every day passed, maintenance taking longer and longer as the months passed.

They had a shot, take back the Tower. Take back their home.

They were there together on the forefront, her swift and knowing hands clutching the gun she so dearly started loving, her new friend she forged in battle under the hardships and traumas of the war she was now attempting to end once and for all.

Ghaul fell to the night, attempted Radiance and instead vanquished himself into pure Light the Traveler blew away into the burning sky around the Warlock. She who wielded her trusty rifle crafted with pure Light embedded after months of usage. A soft glow seemed to emanate from its dark casing, perhaps a mocking gesture to the fallen Cabal leader. 

The Leviathan quickly got their attention, no time to rest as the ship threatened to feast on Nessus. 

They had to spring in action once more, a Light filled weapon and a hopeful Warlock entering the luscious palace to kill another Emperor hoping for power. 

Light overtook his endeavour, his Cabal falling to the rifle and its deft wielder, precise shots exploding heads into messy puddles of blood and brain as she and her fireteam fought their way to the Emperor. 

He turned out to be machine, but the night came for it regardless, exploded it into bits and pieces as the owner’s voice rang through the extravagant vessel, mocking the Guardians for their foolery, yet rewarding them all the same. 

He became an uneasy threat on the edge of Nessus. 

Months passed before the wielder returned to the fallen old Tower, rubble still lying around despite the City’s slow progress on rebuilding it. No time was given to work on it, priorities different after the Red War. 

It was silent when she walked past some fallen debris, blood splattered over it almost making her sick. Something she should be used to, but perhaps sickened her all the more because of where she was. Wind whistled past broken arches, collapsed roofs and walls, the ground covered in dust and debris. 

Eyes glanced past the old entrance to the Vanguard, mind wandered, thoughts and worries taking over before the rifle wavered on her back, a gust of wind moving it and pulling her back to the present. Hands twitched, and she pointedly ignored the hand sticking out from beneath a large piece of wall as she clambered over one of the fallen flag banners she had walked past so many times before.

The fallen Vaults lay wasted beneath more rubble, burnt flags, and dust. Nobody had set foot here for a long time, it felt like a ghost town. 

Her gloved hands glided over the dusted debris, broke the even surface. A sigh escaped her as she got back to her feet, summoning her companion. Assessed the damage.

As she spoke with it, her eyes glanced down, noticed the slight glinstering of a familiar colour. A familiar stock. 

Breath held in she crouched back down, easily shoved off a large piece of concrete and nudged some rocks aside. 

_ Fatebringer _ .

Hands wrap around the stock before she even thought about it, a familiar weight in her hand as she raised her arm high up in the air, as if triumphantly showing off to the world her find. She moved it around, felt the lingering Light trickle over her fingertips to her wrist and up over her arm, guide back into her heart.

_ At last, long lost friend _ .


	16. Where Is My Warmind

An uneasy feeling washed over her as soon as she spawned in, ice cold goosebumps spreading over her body despite the hot Mars sun. 

“We don’t  _ have  _ to be here, you know.” Ghost crackled alive over the comms, voice filled with worry as it watched its Guardian hesitate, sand twirling around them. 

Her hands clutched her Waking Vigil, yet the trembling of them couldn’t be denied. “I’m fine, Ghost. It was just one bad adventure out of a dozen, the odds of something like that happening again is - slim,” her breath halted for a second as she looked around the desolate area.  _ That one time… _

An Interceptor rumbled below the bridge in front of her, and she shook her head, shook off the memories. “I never liked Mars, that adventure with Levi didn’t exactly help it,” she murmured, loosening her grip on the Waking Vigil ever so slightly. “I still have no idea what data was on those hard drives, and Levi didn’t tell me anything either. I suppose I’ll have to ask Ikora what the Vanguard did with them.” 

It was quiet for a long time as Vax walked over to Ana and picked up some bounties from her, eyeing over the missions before stuffing the datapad in a little pocket in her robes as she walked down the stairs. “Although Levi did learn to wield the flames that day. Remember the glance in his eyes? I’m glad we’re not his enemy.”

Ghost made a noise Vax couldn’t quite place. “We very well could be, considering our Vanguard ranking. He doesn’t think too highly of them.  _ Especially _ not after the whole Leviathan thing.” it sounded worried.

The Warlock shook her head, fingers flexing a bit over the stock of her hand cannon. “He wouldn’t harm us.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Another uneasy feeling overtook her, a tight knot of anxiety tightening her throat. “He - if he wants to leave, that’s - that’s his choice. I’m not keeping him,” her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper as she watched some Cabal run after some Hive soldiers. “We’ve talked about this before, Ghost. You know my stance on this.”

She was silent for another moment, swallowing thickly. “... I must admit I am starting to doubt some of the missions they send me on.”

Another chill ran down her spine. 


	17. Drifter's Gambit

Cool blue eyes landed on the smaller man in front of the Awoken, a hint of distaste over her face as she listened to the Hunter’s words.

_ Gambit _ .

The man, the  _ Drifter _ , didn’t seem to notice the Warlock’s annoyance however as he continued to enthusiastically explain what Gambit was, his voice echoing ever so slightly through the small corner alleyway. 

His dumb setup right in front of Ikora.

“Woo! Get ready to be bad guys!” he exclaimed, pointing excitedly at Vax before his arms easily fell back to his sides, a big grin on his face.

Vax couldn’t stop the clicking of her tongue as she shook her head, crossing her arms. “I can’t believe you got into the Tower. The Vanguard don’t know about this, do they?” she sighed, eyeing down at the ever-excited Drifter. 

“Of course they don’t, sister!” he raised his chin up to Vax, smirking as he seemed to challenge her authority. “And I don’t think you’re gonna tell ‘em, either. I’ve heard about ya, ya know. Ya got a reputation.” 

A small chuckle escaped her lips, and she nodded. “I am well aware, yes. And you are correct. As long as you don’t intervene with any official business or harm anybody… I don’t really care what you do,” she tilted her head ever so slightly to the side, a small smile on her face. “However, if you in any way harm other people or mess things up. You will have me after you.”

The Drifter smirked, nodding excitedly. “I’m counting on it, hotshot.” he extended his hand to the Warlock.

Vax grinned right back at him as she firmly grasped his hand and shook it. “Nice to meet you, too, Drifter.”


	18. Royalty

The vacuum of space felt like an oppressive force field weighing her down.

Anxious fingers tapped on the side of her Waking Vigil, gripped the stock tighter in the palm of her hand as she viewed upon the large vessel in front of her, the extravagant luxuries and pleasantries.

“We don’t have to be here.” Ghost’s voice crackled alive over the comms, sounding anxious in a way only it could sound.

Vax swallowed, but she shook her head. “We do, Ghost, you know this. It just - isn’t easy,” she murmured, left fist clenching and unclenching. “We don’t know what Calus has hidden down here. So many nooks and crannies, not to speak of the Underbelly… We’re lucky we found Levi that day, who knows where - where he could’ve been. If Calus had picked him instead -”

“He didn’t. He is still very much alive, and so are you. So am I. Another fireteam can take care of this siege. It doesn’t have to be you.” 

Her hand raised to her helmet as it has done so often before, gripping at it as she winced. “Yes, it has to be me. It has always been me,” she took a step forward but seemed to falter ever so slightly, loose hand trembling. “It - it can’t be somebody else.”

Ghost was silent for a moment, seeming to process this before it spoke again. “Why not? You’re so stubborn sometimes. You need rest after everything that has happened.”

A shaky exhale. 

“Ghost, I can use the distraction.”

“But not the risk of the death.”

She halted her steps again, staring off into the distance as she considered and remembered all those weeks ago what had happened. The danger. “... Calus hasn’t shown us his trump card yet, he’s hiding something. I feel it in my gut, I - God, I can’t just not do anything.” she whispered, defeated as her shoulders slacked ever so slightly. “Somebody has to fight this thing.”

Ghost ticked inside her helmet, made her look up. “Come on, Vax. It doesn’t have to be us, you need to rest, Traveler knows you can use it. You’ve seen enough battles for a lifetime at this point. Lay down your weapons and rest for once.”

An anxious cold ran down her spine, and she sighed. “Very well. Call in the ship.” 


	19. Voices In My Head

“It’s, quiet.”

Her three eyes looked up to her partner. “Quiet?”

Vax nodded uneasily, arm wrapped tightly around the Hunter resting on her chest. “You notice it too?”

She shifted underneath the blankets, sat up and looked at her partner under the darkness of the night. She lovingly caressed her cheek, smiled softly. “As soon as you slayed Him, the whispers subsided. I have you to thank for that.”

With a quick motion Vax joined Eris’ seated position, hunched over as if troubled by her thoughts regardless of her lover’s words. “I’ve had these whispers for the better part of a year and now all that I have are my own thoughts. Why are they louder than ever before? It’s like I can’t quiet them, I can’t fucking sleep.”

“You are troubled, it only makes sense that you are,” she gently put a hand on her chest, felt her heartbeat. “But you are alive and well, think of everything you’ve had to do to get to this point. The Gods you’ve slain, the enemies you’ve pushed back,” she helped to lie Vax back down, wrapped her safely up in her arms, the warmth of her human body. Her lips pressed against her cold forehead. “Do not let those thoughts fool you, my light. You are safe. No more whispers, only you.”

She stared into Eris’ pale skin, cradled close to her lover as she processed those words. “Do you not have them, Eris? The doubts?”

“Of course I do,” she whispered, eyes closed. “They were all I had in the darkness. I learned to see which ones were real and which ones were deceit. It was a valuable lesson.”

The Awoken sighed deeply, nestled as close as she could to Eris. “You’re right,” she mumbled then, body relaxing just enough to feel comfortable in the big and dark room. The air felt colder than usual, but the heat of Eris around her under the blankets of their bed, warmed her up enough to drift into a dreamless sleep. 


	20. (NSFW) Ironborn

The snowflakes drizzled around them, but neither Guardians paid it any attention, her legs wrapped around his hips and her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. 

He breathed heavily into her mouth, grunted as he thrust up and felt her heat. His rough hands supported her bum, pressed her against the wall. 

She let out a moan, dropped her head back against the stone wall of the temple and simply allowed Saladin to push endlessly up into her, his hips hot against hers despite the cold. Her hands gripped at his hair, pulled his head back with a grunt from him and a whine from her at a particularly harsh thrust. She reached down to suck a hickey on his neck, right above his bodysuit. 

His robes hid them, locked the heat of their bodies entwined all around them and covered the noises of his cock slick within her. 

“Vax-“ he grumbled then, his throat vibrating against her lips with the noise. His hands slipped to the low of her back, her shoulder blades pressed roughly against the cold wall as she kept herself up against him. 

The wind blew her hair around, dispersed the snowflakes in her hair and covered his beard with more snow. 

“Saladin,” she breathed then, capturing his lips between hers and kissing him roughly. “Kneel down, baby,” she unhooked her legs and whimpered at the change of angle. She pressed onto his shoulders and he followed her down. 

His cock slipped out but neither minded as they repositioned, both kneeling on the cold ground. 

“How are you not freezing?” he murmured onto her lips, kissing the answer right out of her as his hands pulled her close against him once more. 

She carded her fingers through his frozen stubble, cupped his cheeks and then leaned back, hands resting behind her on the ground. “I’m always cold, darling,” she teased on a quiet whisper, cheeks burning despite the cold. She positioned herself and then pushed down onto his cock, moaning. 

He tensed, letting out a hot breath and watching it turn into mist in the cold air. He looked back down between them, where his cock met her and where they melted together. His hands moved to her abdomen, up to her breasts and her cold and stiff nipples. He ran his fingers over the nibs, grumbled low in his throat. 

She circled her hips around him, shivered at his hands touching her and the cold blowing past her. “Not much of a Young Wolf anymore, hm?” she then purred, jerking her hips up, eliciting a delicious gasp from him. 


	21. Make a Wish

The cold whirled around the tent up high and blew through the leaves, wind howling in the sky.

Their den was warm, blankets nestled around the two Guardians, heated up by their body warmth and their previous activities. 

She had fallen asleep quickly despite it being early evening, having had a rough few days filled with Vanguard meetings and reports needing to be filed away, not to mention the new Guardians who needed some training when the usual instructor had developed a cold. 

He leaned on his arm, eyed over her pale blue skin and tried to count the various freckles. The hand on her hip traced small circles, ghosted over the skin and lovingly pulled her closer against him. He leaned down to press a kiss to her temple and carded some hair behind her ear. 

Her naked skin on his was a cold endeavour as always, but he had gotten used to it after all this time with her and wouldn’t trade it for the world. He rested his head back on his pillow and wrapped his arm around her, pressed her close so he could feel as much of her as possible. Pure love bubbled up into his chest, spread warmth all through his body and made his stomach flip. 

After all this time, still. 

She stirred and grumbled a bit, seemed displeased at the blankets far below them, but didn’t move them. She turned on her back, nuzzled close to him, and sighed contentedly. Her hand moved to graze past his abdomen and rested between them, other one soft on her belly. 

He caressed her cheek, listened to the cold storming outside, and was infinitely grateful for their own little space. 

Often, when they hadn’t seen each other for a while, they turned off their comms and went out and far away from the Tower, escaping into their own little world. Ever since they started talking and grouped up, it’s simply what they had done. Right now they were fond of the mountains in the west, breathtaking views no matter where they looked, and the waters were crystal clear. And cold. 

He lost count of the amount of times they went skinny dipping in the waters, the times they desperately held onto each other as he pushed into her, the times they simply floated together under the sun, not a worry in the world at that moment. Standing in grassy meadows with their pants rolled up to their knees and leaning against each other, simply watching out over the landscape in front of them. 

Sometimes they encountered enemies, but only rarely. Not enough things to salvage this high in the mountains, and even if they did, he and her took easy care of them before setting up camp. 

He taught her various ways of taking care of her weapons, helped her learn to cook properly, sometimes helped her help others, and she in turn had helped him find the love he had lost that many decades ago. 

And now, watching her lie there next to him, peaceful, calm, like she was at home. Now, he couldn’t help but lean down to press a loving kiss to her soft lips, hand taking hold of hers and squeezing. He made a noise of surprise when she kissed back and moved the kiss to a deeper territory, hand reaching up to pull him closer against her. 

“Are you being sappy?” she whispered lovingly against his lips, feeling him smile in return. She turned to her side and pressed herself against him, let out a satisfied noise as she wrapped her arms around him. “What were you thinking about?”

The tiredness was clear as day in her voice, yet she wanted to talk and know his thoughts anyway. 

“Marry me.”

“Yes.”

No hesitation, an immediate response. His heart burst open with pure happiness and love, but all he could do was simply try and pull her closer, smiling so widely he feared he may break his skin. 

No more words were spoken that evening, and the cold outside whined and whined, but they wouldn’t let it in. 

They made sure to keep warm, always.


End file.
